God's call to all people
Baptism of Our Lord: 11 January, 2004
Fr Neville Connell
Assistant Priest, St Peter's, Eastern Hill
Some hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the people of Israel and
Judah were taken away into the area we know generally as Iran and
Iraq, in two separate groups, the spoils of military victory. A remnant
of harmless people were left behind.
Thus began a long period of exile for the Hebrew people; and although
many of them were absorbed into the life of the local community, there
always remained those who longed for a return to Israel.
In the meantime their sufferings and alienation continued. But God
was not unmindful of their privations, and raised up prophets, sent to
give the people hope. As we read in our First Reading for today,
(Isaiah 40:1-5,9-11), "'Console my people, console them' says your God.
'Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her that her time of
service is ended, that her sin is atoned for, that she has received
from the hand of the Lord double punishment for all her crimes.'"
There would be a return to Israel, their sufferings would end, they
were forgiven, they were called to new life.
Today, on this Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, we focus on God's call
to Jesus, and to all people. The people of Israel had returned home,
their exile was over. But their country was now ruled by the Romans,
through several puppet kings. Now they were in exile in their own
land. Once again, God was not unmindful of Israel's suffering. God heard,
and sent his Son. The Father spoke through his Son, the Word became
flesh.
The voice of the Father at Jesus' baptism made quite clear who Jesus
was: in our Gospel Reading (Luke 3:15-16,21-22) "...while Jesus after
his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit
descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from
heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you'".
In the Old Testament, the call came to the prophets through their
sense of hearing, as it were; an inner voice spoke to them, and they
heard. But Jesus' call, or commissioning, came at his baptism. St John the
Baptist was the key to this call, bringing to a point all the thoughts
and reflections Jesus had been experiencing for years, going back to
the time he was found in the Temple at 12 years old. St John Baptist
was the catalyst.
However, before Jesus could begin his ministry, he endured an agonising
period of temptation, his own struggle to be faithful to his Father's
call – echoing in a way the suffering of his people in exile.
The Hebrew's suffering in exile was in fact to prepare them for life
under the Romans, and those who preceded them as occupying power, as
exiles in their own country.
Jesus' temptations, fierce as they must have been, were to prepare him
for his ministry, and the inevitable conflict with vested interests
and death which it would bring.
Jesus' baptism was his call to be faithful to his mission; he took up
the same message as St John the Baptist, "Repent, for the kingdom of
Heaven is at hand". This was his message, his gift to an alienated
people, divided, troubled by sin, self-centredness, pride.
And as Jesus' baptism was his call to mission, our baptism is our call
to new life, to face the risk of persecution, apathy or hostility in
our own lives.
Christians in other parts of the world, Africa, Indonesia much nearer
to home, are suffering for their faith – simply for worshipping, let
alone seeking conversions to the Faith.
Have the sufferings of Christians, often new Christians, any purpose?
Well, perhaps the purpose is for our conversion in this so wealthy
and secular country, Australia. Most Christians in Australia do not
suffer for their faith. Too often the faith dies the death of a
thousand compromises.
In our Second Reading for today, (Titus 3:15-16;21-22), the writer,
perhaps a disciple of St Paul, speaks of this, giving us at the same
time an insight into the life of the early Church.
He is very demanding indeed, "...what we have to do is to give up
everything that does not lead to God, and all other worldly ambitions;
we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives, here in
this present world."
If we follow these teachings we will indeed know suffering – letting
go of powerful desires and delights, or experiencing family tensions,
tension with friends and workmates.
If we are faithful to our call at baptism, we will learn the meaning
of sacrifice, of being made holy. Personal holiness was at the heart
of the Oxford Movement one hundred and seventy years ago, and must be
the mark of the Christian today.
Baptism is our call to holiness, to follow Jesus; and it is in the end,
our call to eternal life. This is God's gift to us, and it is free.
And if we have this hope for eternal life, in the nearer presence of
God, then our life here will be transformed; we will want to transform
life around us with the love of Jesus in us. "He did this so that we
should be justified by his grace, to become heirs looking forward
to inheriting eternal life."
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